Hugs and Cuddles Very Important

Reassure Children They Are Loved 

How can we can express and receive love so children will understand and be reassured they are loved? In the “The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively” Drs. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell emphasize the importance of many forms of hugs.

   Although each child is a distinct individual, children respond to five primary love languages: affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. The key is finding the best way each child expresses and understands love and then communicating our love in that primary language often.

   We can express our love in other ways, but there is one primary language an individual understands best. Chapman and Campbell explain how to find the best language, express it, and solve problems by using it.

Babies’ Needs

  According to Drs. Chapman and Campbell, “babies who are held, caressed, and kissed often develop a healthier emotional life.”  Physical touch is one of love’s 

All Children Need to be Touched and Loved

strongest languages dating back to recorded history across cultures.  It shouts, “I love you!”   This is one of the first things therapists teach nervous parents.

  All children need to be touched and receive the tender touch of care givers. Evidence of holding and cuddling is an important qualification to look for in day care of babies. “A baby deserves loving and gentle touches whether in changing diapers, feeding or carrying.” Babies can tell the difference between gentle, harsh, or irritating touches and voices. Gently touch baby’s little fingers, toes, arms, legs tummy, nose and ears. Pat and kiss a baby’s head and softly tell how much he is loved.

  As children become toddlers, preschoolers and school age, wrestling on the floor, riding piggyback, playful loving touches, bear hugs, and fist bumps are loving touches for boys and girls. Boys receive fewer than than girls, not good, according to Drs. Chapman and Campbell. Both need to understand they are loved to meet life’s challenges.

Hugs and Security

  

A Hug A Day!!

According to these doctors a hug to start the day may mean “the difference between emotional security and insecurity throughout the day.  A hug when the child returns may determine whether your child has a quiet evening of positive mental and physical activity or makes a rambunctious effort to get your attention. Home is a haven, the place where love is secure.”  As children get older, they still long for physical affection like a touch on the arm, a pat on the back, or a quick hug.

  Some great physical touch books for babies include “Where is Baby’s Belly Button”, “Daddy Hugs”, and “County Kisses” by Karen Katz; “If Animals Kissed Goodnight” by Ann Whitford Hall; “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle; and “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes” by Annie Kubler.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.

Enjoying Books Together

Daily Reading Is Extremely Important 

Experts agree that reading to your young children one or more times a day is extremely important.  It is an easy activity that begins soon after birth and continues through the school years.  Children who are read to on a daily basis will be ready to learn to read on their own, and they will develop a rich vocabulary, as well as, love books.  Listening to you read, discussing, and asking questions are the foundation for success in school.

  For the youngest children, read aloud any books with pictures that are cloth, plastic, or sturdy. As they develop they love a variety of colorful magazines and books that are fiction, nonfiction, and books with chapters.

Reading Tips

  During the day, at nap or bedtime, sit close with your children.  When possible, let them choose the books.  Often, children like to hear the same book over and over again.

   Talk about the cover. What is the title?  Who is the author?  Show how to hold the book and turn the pages as you go. Look at the pictures, guess what is going to happen, and talk 

Talk Together About What You Read

about the characters. Sometimes, point to the words as you read along. Encourage questions, and let your preschooler join in to say the fun parts or name things.

  When finished, talk together about the pictures you saw or about what happened in the story.  What is your favorite part?  Which pictures do you like best?  How do pictures and words get into a book?

Preschool Reading

  Teach preschoolers how to take care of books.  Have the books available in a special box for children to look at again on their own. Some children might like to draw or color their own picture from an idea from a book.  You could print a sentence for them at the bottom of their picture or label some of the parts.  Encourage your children to tell someone else about the story or book.

  Relatives who live far away will love 

Read Together via Face Time/Skype

reading a short book to young children on Face Time or Skype while showing them the pictures. Often older children clam up when Face Time is scheduled but enjoy practicing their reading to grandparents and other relatives. Reading out loud also makes a good short movie to show the progress children are making in school. It can be posted on a private family Facebook account.

   Children need to hear the sounds and patterns of our language and build a store of vocabulary words. They need to know that letters and words carry meaning, and that stories have a beginning, middle and end.  All this crucial learning can be obtained in a very natural pleasurable way when you enjoy picture books and stories together. 

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
For more go to wnmufm.org/LearningThroughtheSeasons podcast Tues & Thurs at 4:30 ET

Hugs and Cuddles Very Important

Hug to Start the Day!!

How can we can express and receive love so children will understand and be reassured they are loved? In the “The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively” Drs. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell emphasize the importance of many forms of hugs.

   Although each child is a distinct individual, children respond to five primary love languages: affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. The key is finding the best way each child expresses and understands love and then communicating our love in that primary language often.

   We can express our love in other ways, but there is one primary language an individual understands best. Chapman and Campbell explain how to find the best language, express it, and solve problems by using it.

Babies’ Needs

  According to Drs. Chapman and Campbell, “babies who are held, caressed, and kissed often develop a healthier emotional life.”  Physical touch is one of love’s strongest languages dating back to recorded history across cultures.  It shouts, “I love you!”   This is one of the first things therapists teach nervous parents.

Children Need the Tender Touch of Caregivers!

  All children need to be touched and receive the tender touch of care givers. Evidence of holding and cuddling is an important qualification to look for in day care of babies. “A baby deserves loving and gentle touches whether in changing diapers, feeding or carrying.” Babies can tell the difference between gentle, harsh, or irritating touches and voices. Gently touch baby’s little fingers, toes, arms, legs tummy, nose and ears. Pat and kiss a baby’s head and softly tell how much he is loved.

  As children become toddlers, preschoolers and school age, wrestling on the floor, riding piggyback, playful loving touches, bear hugs, and fist bumps are loving touches for boys and girls. Boys receive fewer than than girls, not good, according to Drs. Chapman and Campbell. Both need to understand they are loved to meet life’s challenges.

Hugs and Security

  According to these doctors a hug to start the day may mean “the difference between emotional security and insecurity throughout the day.  A hug when the child returns may determine whether your child has a quiet evening of positive mental and physical activity or makes a rambunctious effort to get your attention. Home is a haven, the place where love is secure.”  As children get older, they still long for physical
affection like a touch on the arm, a pat on the back, or a quick hug.

   Some great physical touch books for babies include “Where is Baby’s Belly Button”, “Daddy Hugs”, and “County Kisses” by Karen Katz; “If Animals Kissed Goodnight” by Ann Whitford Hall; “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle; and “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes” by Annie Kubler.

For more go to -  grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons live Tuesdays at 4:30pm and Saturdays at 8:30 am and pod casts archived on the site.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Kids Respond to Love Languages

Parenting Is Not For the Faint of Heart

 Parenting is not for the faint of heart. It is tough, exhausting, and rewarding especially after following the advice in Drs. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell’s book “The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively.” They write about all the ways we can express and receive love so children will understand and be reassured they are loved.

   Although each child is a distinct individual with a distinct personality, children respond to five primary love languages.  The key according to Drs. Chapman and Campbell is finding the best way each child expresses and understands love and then communicating our love in that primary language often. We can express our love in other ways, but there is one primary language an individual understands best. Drs. Chapman and Campbell’s five love languages are affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. They explain how to find the best language and then how to express and solve many problems by using it.

Primary Love Language

What Are Outward Signs of Love?

  What is the most important love language of each child? Their book guides the reader through the process of discovery. We can carefully observe which outward signs of love are most effective. For example, one child might love the verbal praise in front of others for good grades. Another might appreciate big hugs more.  A third child might like money or quality time more.  Parents can carefully observe how children react and use their easy guide.  After all, parents want to reach children and let them know they are precious and loved. We want them to grow into giving, loving, and responsible adults.

Two Love Languages

  Let’s look at acts of service and quality time. Some children express and receive love when they give and receive help. When children are infants, parents constantly help children do things they cannot do for themselves.  As they enter new stages love is expressed, we think, by teaching them how to do things for themselves. For some children, though, helping them is a primary love language. These children feel they are loved when parents help them with homework or sit close to them while they do homework. They feel loved when parents help them learn to throw a ball or draw.

Is Your Child Worthy of Your Undivided Attention?

  Very close to that is the child whose primary love language is undivided personal quality time, so difficult when there is more than one child in the family. This can be the cause major sibling rivalry. Parents can schedule personal quality time like individual conversations, one parent- one child activities or errands.  The activity is not important. The child needs to know that he is worthy of a parent’s undivided attention. Explaining this is not possible doesn’t help.

 For more see Dr. Chapman and Dr. Campbell’s excellent book and ...

For more go to -  grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons live Tuesdays at 4:30pm and Saturdays at 8:30 am and pod casts archived on the site.
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos